Ohio Supreme Court takes up flavored tobacco ban fight

Catch up quick: The battle began in late 2022, after Columbus City Council approved a sales ban effective January 2024.

• State lawmakers countered with a law prohibiting local bans, effective April 2024, which included overriding a veto from Gov. Mike DeWine.
• Columbus, Cleveland and other cities sued and blocked the state law from taking effect, meaning Columbus' ban — and bans in other cities — currently stand.
• The state appealed unsuccessfully in a lower court.

Zoom in: The lawsuit now has 21 plaintiffs, half local, including Bexley, Dublin, Gahanna, Grandview, Hilliard, Reynoldsburg, Whitehall, Worthington and Upper Arlington.

Friction point: The cities argue the state law violates their constitutional right of home rule, the ability to enact their own laws governing their municipalities, Court News Ohio reports.

• The state counters that the General Assembly can opt to regulate a field uniformly for the entire state.

What's next: A decision is expected later this year.